Machine for setting rubber tires.



PATENTED OCT. 11,-1904.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 17, 1903.

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No. 772,068. PAIBNTED OCT. 11, 1904. J. M. SWEET.

MACHINE FOR SETTING RUBBER TIRES.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 17, 1903.

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WMWMW }74 L Znemw: Wm figwwizzarwi Patented October 11, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. SWEET, OF BATAVIA, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR TO THE SWEET TIRE ANDRUBBER COMPANY, OF BATAVIA, NEW YORK, A CORPO- RATION.

MACHINE FOR SETTING RUBBER TIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 772,068, dated October11, 1904. Application filed July 17, 1903. Serial No. 165.95% (Nomodel.)

To all whom it Wwty concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN M. SWEET, acitizen of theUnited States,residing at Batavia, in the county of Genesee and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Setting RubberTires, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a rubber-tire-setting machine, and moreparticularly to a machine for setting or applying a tire of that kindwhich is retained in a channeled metal rim by one or more wires or bandspassing circumferentially around the wheel in longitudinal holes in therubber tire. In applying a tire of this character to the wheel the tireis cut somewhat longer than necessary to encircle the wheel and with theretaining-wires in place the tire is placed around the wheel. The endsof the rubber tire are held or forced apart to expose the ends of thewires which are tightened around the wheel, thereby compressing therubber on the retainingwires and pressing it firmly into therim-channel. The retaining-wires are then held by suitable separatedclamps while they are cut to the proper length and their ends united byscarfing and brazing or in any usual manner, after which the wires aredisengaged from their holding-clamps and the compressed ends of therubber tire drawn together and joined.

The object of the invention is to provide a desirable machine of simple,strong, and inexpensive construction for expeditiously compressing therubber tire, tightening the retaining wires or bands, holding the samewhile their ends are united, and drawing together the separated ends ofthe rubber tire to unite the same. 1

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure 1 is afragmentary front elevation, partly in section, of a rubber-tiresettingmachine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2is aplan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof, partlyin section in line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevationthereof, showing the manner of drawing the separated ends of the rubbertire together. Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of one of thespindles for tightening the retainingwires. Fig. 6 is a detachedperspective view of the wire-clamping sleeve for the tightening-spindle.Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing one of the wire-holding clamps.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents an upright supporting column or standard which is oftubular or other form. The standard is provided with a suitable base,(not shown,) which is secured to the floor and is preferably held orsteadied by a brace a, secured to its upper end and to a vertical wallor other solid support.

D represents a support for the wheel to which the tire is to be applied.This support may be of any known or preferred construction, butpreferably consists of a horizontal axle or shaft which is adjustablysecured to the supporting-standard, so that it can be fixed at differentelevations thereon to accommodate wheels of diiferent diameters, by asplit clamping-collar b,secured to the inner end of the axle andsurrounding the supporting-standard, on which it is firmly held by ascrew 6', passing through the separated ends of the clampingcollar. Theaxle or shaft is passed through the hub of the wheel to be operatedupon, with the inner end of the hub bearing on a conical sleeve 0, whichis adjustably secured to the axle by a set-screw c or in any othersuitable manner. The wheel is held from longitudinal movement on theaxle by a removable conical bearing-sleeve 0 which is slipped 7 over theouter end of the axle into the outer end of the hub of the wheel, inwhich position it is held by a cam-lever c pivoted in' a slot in theconical bearing-sleeve with its came face engaging the axle. Thebearing-sleeve is secured or released by swinging the lever so that itscam-face is forced against or moved out of contact with the axle. Thecam-lever 0 affords a convenient means for quickly securing andreleasing the bearing-sleeve on the axle; but any other suitable meansmay be employed for this purpose.-

E represents a head or frame which is secured to the upper end of thesupportingstandard by means of a sleeve 0 and set-screw or in any othersuitable manner. The

frame projects forwardly from the standard and is provided at its frontend with an upright portion 6 F F, Figs. 1, 4, and 7, represent twoseparated clamps or devices for holding the ends of the rubber tireseparated while tightening the retaining wires or bands and holding thelatter while their ends are being connected. The clamps are secured tothe frame substantially radial with the wheel-supporting axle and insuch position that their lower ends will enter the channel of thewheel-rim when the wheel is adjusted on the axle with the channeled rimbeneath the clamps and the axle adjusted to the proper elevation. of theclamps consists of a stationary or fixed jaw f, which is bolted to theupright front end of the frame, and intermediate and outer movable jawsf f", respectively, which are connected to the fixed jaw by a screw fThe lower ends of the stationary jaw and outer movable jaw of the clampare reduced, so that they can extend down into the channel of thewheel-rim, and the opposing faces of the several jaws are provided neartheir lower ends with transverse roughened notches f to receive and gripthe retaining wires or bands, and above said notches the stationary andouter movable jaws are provided with transverse openings or holes fthrough which the wires can pass freely. The screw f passes looselythrough smooth holes in the outer and intermediate movable jaws, withits threaded shank working in a threaded hole in the stationary jaw andits head, which is adapted to receive an operating-wrench, hearingagainst the outer movable jaw. f represents a second screw which worksin a threaded hole in the outer jaw, with its inner end turning freelyin smooth holes in the intermediate and stationary jaws. The clamp isadapted to grasp two parallel retaining wires or bands or a single wireor band. WVhen two wires are employed, they are inserted in the notchesbetween the intermediate and outer jaws and held firmly by tighteningthe screws of the clamp. hen the clamp is to be used for a single wireor band, the intermediate jaw is removed and the wire or band held inthe notches in the stationary and outer movable jaws. Clamps of anyother suitable construction may be employed.

G G represent two horizontal rotary winding spindles or shafts to whichthe opposite ends of the retaining-wires are secured and which aresimultaneously rotated to wind the wires thereon, thereby drawing thewires taut around the wheel. The winding-spindles are arranged atopposite sides of the clamps, and each is journaled in bearingopeningsin a pair of arms 9, projecting laterally from the frame E.

The following mechanism is preferably employed for simultaneouslyrotating the winding-spindles. H represents ratchet-wheels,

one of which is secured by aset-screwor otherwise to each of thewinding-spindles between its bearing-arms. The ratchet-wheels arearranged oppositely or so that their teeth project in oppositedirections. I indicates pawllevers, each of which is provided with abifurcated inner end which straddles the adjacent ratchet-wheel and isfulcrumed to oscillate on the winding-spindle between the bearingstherefor and the ratchet-wheelI The latter and the pawl-lever preventendwise movement of the winding-spindle in its bearings. 2' indicatesoppositely-arranged pawls which are pivoted between the separatedportions of the bifurcated outer ends of the pawl-levers with theirinner free ends engaging the teeth of the ratchet-Wheels. K is a handoperatinglever for the pawl-levers. The hand-lever is fulcrumed adjacentto one end on a pivot projecting from an upright lug la, rising from thecentral portion of the frame, and is provided with oppositely projectingarms Zr, which are connected by links 76 to the outer ends of thepawl-levers. When the hand-lever is rocked on its fulcrum, thepawl-levers are simultaneously and oppositely oscillated to turn theratchet-wheels and winding-spindles, to which they are secured, inopposite directions. The ratchet-wheels are held against return movementby holding-dogs L, Figs. 1 and L, pivoted to depending lugs on the frameand having Weighted arms which hold their free ends against the teeth ofthe ratchetwheels.

The ends of the retaining-wires can be secured to the winding-spindlesin various ways, but the following means is preferably employed for thispurpose. Each spindle (see Fig. 5) is provided with a substantially flatlongitudinal face m, and at its end a portion of said flat face isremoved to provide a short flat face m at an angle to the long fiat faceon. N, Fig. 6, represents a removable clampingsleeve which is slippedover the outer end of the tightening-spindle. The sleeve is provided atits inner end with a transverse slot 92,, adapted to be turned into aposition parallel with the long flat face of the tightening-spindle, andis provided at its outer end with a transverse key or portion 72/opposite to the two flat faces m m at the outer end of thetightening-spindle. The clamping-sleeve is removably retained on thetightening-spindle by a spring-key O, inserted in a hole in the end ofthe shaft or any other suitable holding device. When the retaining-Wiresare to be secured to the winding-spindle, the clampingsleeve is removedtherefrom and the ends of the wires placed transversely across thespindle against the long flat face thereof, as indicated in Fig. 5. Theclamping-sleeve is then slipped over the spindle in such position thatthe retaining-wires enter the slot in its inner end and the sleeve issecured on the spindle by the spring-key. The two short flat faces atthe end of the spindle permit the latter to turn for a smallportion of arevolution in the sleeve, and as the wires tend to hold the sleeve fromturning they are firmly gripped or pinched between the long fiat face ofthe spindle and the fiat face of the notch in the inner end of theclamping-sleeve. The ends of the retainingwires are thus held and causedto wind on the sleeves when the spindles are rotated.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The wheel to which the tireis to be applied is placed on the supporting-axle D and the conicalbearing-sleeves adjusted to position the channel of the wheel-rimdirectly under and somewhat below the lower ends of the retaining-wireclamps F F. The proper length of rubber tire, with the retaining-wiresin place therein, with the ends of the wires projecting from the ends ofthe tire, is placed around the wheel in the channel of the rim, and theleft-hand ends of the retaining-wires are passed through theholding-notches f at the lower ends of the left-hand clamp F and throughthe large holes f in the right-hand clamp F and secured to theright-hand winding-spindle G in the manner before stated, with theleft-hand end of the rubber tire abutting against the left-hand clamp.The other ends of the retaining-wires are similarly passed through theholding-notches in the right-hand clamp F, the large holes in theleft-hand clamp F, and secured to the left-hand winding-spindle G, withthe right-hand end of the rubber tire abutting against the right-handclamp, as shown in Fig. l. The wheel-supporting axle is then raised onthe supporting-standard until the lower ends of the clamps for the re- Iposite directions, winding the retaining-wires thereon, so as to tightenthe same around the wheel, thereby drawing the rubber tire tightly intothe channel. When the retaining-wires are sufiiciently tight, the twoclamps F F for the retaining-wires are screwed up to firmly hold theretaining-wires, after which the wires are out between the clamps to theproper length and their opposite ends joined by scarfing and brazing orin any other suitable manner. After the retaining-wires are joined theclamps are unscrewed to release the retaining-wires, and thewheel-supporting axle D is lowered until the clamps are-above the wheeland tire thereon and again fixed on the supporting-standard. Atire-clamp Q,Fig. 4:, of any suitable construction, is then connected toone end of the rubber tire and to one of the Winding-spindles by a linkor arm q, after which the wheel is turned by hand on the supporting'aXleand the end of the tire drawn to the center of the space between theends of the tire. The tire-clamp Q is similarly attached to the otherend of the rubber tire, and the other winding spindle and the wheelturned in the opposite direction to draw the other end of the tire 11pto meet the first end. The ends of the tire are joined by suitablecement which has been previously applied thereto or in any usual manner.

I claim as my invention 1.v The combination of means for supporting thewheel, means for holding the opposite ends of the tire separated,rotatable winding devices to which the opposite ends of the retainingwire or wires are secured and which are located at opposite sides of thepoint where the ends of the tire are to be joined, a single operatingdevice and connections for turning said winding devices tosimultaneously tighten the retaining Wire or wires from opposite ends,and means for holding the retaining wire or wires, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination of means for supporting the wheel, means for holdingthe opposite ends of the tire separated and for holding the retainingwire or wires after they have been tightened, rotatable winding devicesarranged on opposite sides of said holding means and to which theopposite ends of the retaining wire or wires are secured, and ahand-actuated clevice and connections for rotating said winding devicesto simultaneously draw the opposite ends of the retaining wire or wirestogether to tighten the same, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of means for supporting the wheel, means for holdingthe opposite ends of the tire separated and for holding the retainingwire or wires after they have been tightened, winding-spindles arrangedat opposite sides of said holding means, means for securing the oppositeends of the retaining wire or wires to said spindles, and aratchet-andpawl mechanism for simultaneously rotating said spindles todraw the opposite ends of the retaining wire or wires together totighten the same, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of means for supporting the wheel, devices forholding the ends of the tire separated and for holding the retainingwire or wires, rotatablewinding-spindles arranged at opposite sides ofsaid holding devices, means for securing the opposite ends of theretaining wire or wires to said spindles, and an oscillating leverconnected to said spindles for simultaneously rotating the same totighten the retaining wire or wires from opposite ends, substantially asset forth.

5. The combination of means for supporting the wheel, devices forholding the ends of the tire separated and for holding the retainingwire or wires, rotatable winding-spindles, means for securing theopposite ends of the retaining wire or wires to said spindles, an0scillatory lever, and ratchet-and-pawl mechanisms actuated by saidlever for simultaneously rotating said spindles to tighten the retainingWire or Wires from opposite ends, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of means for supporting the Wheel, devices forholding the ends of the tire separated and for holding the retainingWire or Wires, rotatable Winding-spindles, means for securing theopposite ends of the retaining Wire or Wires to said spindle, ratchet-Wheels secured to said spindles, pawl-levers provided with pawlscooperating with said ratchet-Wheels, and a single operating-leverconnected to said pawl-levers for simultane- 5 ously rotating saidspindles, substantially as set forth.

Vitness my hand this 7th day of J nly, 1903.

JOHN M. SWEET. Witnesses:

CHAS. XV. PARKER, C. M. BENTLEY.

